BASEBALL

IL squad betters PCL’s stars

Toledo center fielder Carrera has 2 hits

7/17/2014

DURHAM, N.C. — The International League All-Star team got contributions from several players with local ties to claim a 7-3 victory over the Pacific Coast League team in the Triple-A All-Star Game on Wednesday.

Toledo Mud Hen Ezequiel Carrera led off and played center field for the IL team in the contest, which was played at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Carrera finished the day 1-for-2 with a single and a walk, and he also stole a pair of bases.

Clay High School graduate A.J. Achter, who pitches for Rochester, struggled in the sixth inning for the IL. He gave up a leadoff home run to Joc Pederson of Albuquerque and a double to Chris Taylor of Tacoma before he was relieved by Pawtucket’s Tommy Layne.

Former Hen Andy Oliver, a left-handed pitcher who represented Indianapolis, came on to pitch the eighth for the IL. He got two outs thanks to a double play but left Pederson on third base, and he scored when reliever Luis Garcia from Lehigh Valley gave up an RBI single to Ben Paulsen of Colorado Springs.

Toledo’s Mike Hessman, who was voted to start the game at third base for the IL, did not participate in the contest because of a knee injury.

The International League scored two runs in each of the first two innings, then added three runs in the sixth to claim the win.

Durham’s Wilson Betemit hit a two-out single off the “Blue Monster” in left field scored two runs in the first, and Jhonatan Solano of Syracuse hit a two-run homer over the Blue Monster in the second.

University of Toledo product Jared Hoying, an outfielder from Round Rock, played on the PCL team but was hitless in two at-bats.

DIRKS RECALLED: The Tigers recalled outfielder Andy Dirks from his rehab assignment with Hi-A Lakeland. Dirks, who has been on Detroit’s disabled list because of back issues, suffered inflammation in his lower back from an increase of activity while playing for Lakeland, according to the team. Dirks, who remains on Detroit’s disabled list, played in six games with the Flying Tigers and batted .313 with a double among his five hits and one RBI.